What the ratings mean for fit
The Siemens SENTRON 3VA1096-3ED32-0HH0 is a 3-pole molded case circuit breaker (MCCB) rated for 16 A continuous current at 40 °C, with a TM210 thermal-magnetic release. That 16 A holds flat through 50 °C — only above 55 °C does it begin to derate, dropping to 15.36 A at 55 °C and 14.4 A at 70 °C. For a panel that runs warm, the headroom is there; you don't lose capacity until the ambient pushes past 50 °C. Breaking capacity is the real selector here: 75.6 kA at 240 V AC, 52.5 kA at 415 V, 32 kA at 440 V, and 7.5 kA at 690 V. That 75.6 kA at 240 V means it can safely interrupt a fault current up to that level without welding contacts or cascading upstream — critical for high-fault installations like transformer secondaries or large motor control centers. The 690 V rating is lower but still covers most industrial line-to-line faults. Rated insulation voltage Ui is 800 V, so the breaker is electrically rated for 690 V systems with margin. The front face carries IP40 protection — fine for a clean indoor panel, but not for washdown environments.
Integration and auxiliary options
The breaker comes with a factory-fitted shunt trip (STL) as the auxiliary release design, plus 2 auxiliary switches and 1 trip alarm switch (HQ configuration). The integrated auxiliary trip order code is 3VA9688-0BL30 — that's the specific accessory module that mates to this frame. No undervoltage release, no communication module, no phase failure detection; this is a straightforward line-protection MCCB with a voltage-trigger function for remote tripping. Mounting dimensions: 130 mm height, 76.2 mm width, 70 mm depth. That 70 mm depth is the body only — factor in the handle throw and any accessory protrusion when laying out the panel. The latching endurance is rated at 15 000 cycles, which is typical for a distribution-grade MCCB not intended for frequent switching duty.